Instrumental melodic rock fans rejoiced in September when renowned guitarist Joe Matera unleashed his new album Creature Of Habit via W.A.R. Productions in Europe and Mercury Fire Music in Australia.  It caught Ghettoblaster’s attention when we realized Fred Mascherino (The Lemonheads, The Color Fred, Terrible Things) contributes a stunning guitar solo on “Endless Summer.”  The Australian native has built up a fine body of work, following in the tradition of fellow instrumental artists such as Joe Satriani.
Ghettoblaster asked Matera what his favorite records of the year were.  Here are his picks for 2012:
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light (RCA)
A true stadium rock record in every sense of the word, as well as, it provides the perfect adrenaline rush soundtrack needed to inject life into the daily grind of existence.
Van Halen – A Different Kind of Truth (Interscope)
Heavy metal legends’ long overdue album delivered on all fronts and showed the band’s creative well was in no way, spent.
Rush – Clockwork Angels (Roadrunner)
Prog-rock kings put out their finest album to date of their long and illustrious career. Truly exceptional.
Matchbox Twenty – North (Atlantic)
Modern pop-rock for the masses at its best.
KISS – Monster (Universal)
A sonic mix of classic ‘70s era KISS and modern day KISS, aptly titled as everything on here from the vocals to the riffs are huge sounding.
Donald Fagen – Sunken Condos (Reprise)
Steely Dan’s co-founder finds his groove again. Hallelujah!
Jack White – Blunderbuss (Columbia)
White channels his relationship/s endings into a career defining musical zenith on his debut outing.
Marilyn Manson – Born Villain (Cooking Vinyl)
Liberated from major label land, Manson finally returns to form with a 21st century goth-rock masterpiece.
John Mayer – Born And Raised (Columbia)
Echoes of early 1970s southern Cal country-rock informs much of Mayer’s latest outing, and shows where, after all these years, his strengths really lay.
The Beach Boys – That’s Why God Made The Radio (Capitol)
Summer’s perfect soundtrack. Period.